Definitely the longest chapter so far xD Kili has finally made it to Rivendell, what will he learn there? And more, who will he meet there? Some familiar faces will appear in this chapter. I know Kili probably hates elves but he's being polite to them because he needs their help and learns that they aren't actually as bad as his uncle said they were. Glorfindel, Erestor, Elrond, Elladan and Elrohir star.

Edit: For anyone that read this before harrylee94 pointed it out to me in a review I didn't mean that Kili hates dwarves, I meant that he hates elves. It's almost one in the morning here so I'm kind of tired.

All characters belong to J.R.R. Tolkien.

Rate and Review please ^^.

When he woke up upon silken sheets beneath him, comfortable on a soft mattress and fluffy pillows Kili for a moment wondered whether he was dreaming this after the bang to the head he had received. It took him a moment to realise that he had arrived at Rivendell and after the elven Lord Elrond had cleaned and bandaged his head wound Kili had felt so tired that they had not been able to discuss Fili and finding a cure for him. It was still day time and Kili assumed that he had slept through the whole night and part of the day as well. He had no idea he could have been so tired, he had tried to get as much rest as possible during the journey to conserve his strength.

Slipping from the bed Kili wandered to the window, his mind momentarily peaceful as he looked out again on the beauty of the valley of Rivendell. He had actually made it. In his heart Kili had doubted that he would be able to find the valley because it was hidden and the map gave no instruction on how to get in, and he had also feared that had he managed to get into Rivendell the animosity between elves and dwarves would have caused him to be kicked out. He had found the elves a lot more agreeable than his Uncle had ever taught him they were and Kili smiled as he turned back to face the room he had been sleeping in. A lot of the rooms he had passed had been rather open but he was sleeping in one with four solid walls and one rather large window that allowed him a view of the valley but did not allow anyone a view of him.

His clothes had been taken from him to be cleaned of the grime of his journey but Elrond had ordered clothes similar in style to be laid out for him. Kili got dressed in the robes, surprised to find they fit him rather well and made a mental note to thank Elrond for the clothes when he went to talk to him about Fili.

Fili!

Of course he was here for his brother! After a moment of thinking Kili grabbed the book on herbs and plants where he had scribbled Fili's symptoms down and hurried from the room, just remembering to close the door as he did so, neglecting his boots and weapons despite being among elves who he still thought of as an enemy, many years of being told so by Thorin had ingrained the thought deeply in him. He had to find Elrond. He had to find a cure for Fili and get back home as quickly as possible.

Finding Elrond turned out to be a problem as Kili knew nothing of Rivendell or its layout and therefore did not know where the elven Lord would be. The smooth stone floors were cool under his bare feet as he wandered around; glancing into the rooms he passed for a sign of dark haired elf. Eventually he reached an archway of stone that lead to steps descending into a grassy garden area, flowers of all colours blooming in it. Next to the archway was a door. Kili decided to try it to see if it was open, and if it was if anyone was inside.

"Stop!"

Someone shouted at him in elvish and Kili jumped, his hand resting on the door-handle. Turning to face the voice Kili saw another dark haired elf, not Lord Elrond, approaching him looking slightly angry and apprehensive. Kili waited for him to arrive, he didn't need to understand elvish to know that he had been told to wait, or stop, by this elf.

"What are you doing?" The elf asked him again in elvish.

"I don't speak elvish," Kili again explained politely in the common tongue.

The elf blinked, seemingly taking in the fact that there was a dwarf stood in front of him wearing elven made clothes styled after those that dwarves wore.
"Ah…from far away you seem like a young man and any young men that stay here usually know elvish." The elf said in the common tongue. "But now I see that you are a dwarf. Why are you here may I ask? Did you take that book from the library?"

"Kili, at your service." Kili replied first before answering the elf's question, remembering his manners this time. "I…I'm looking for Lord Elrond. My brother is sick and I came to ask for some help. I brought this book from my home; I thought it could help me." Kili replied, his hand still on the door.

"Erestor, chief advisor to Lord Elrond at yours." The elf replied. "And you aren't going to find him in there," Erestor commented, "This is the library of Rivendell and…well I am going to clean it up a bit and do not want anybody in there. Come, I shall take you to Lord Elrond's study, he shall probably be there and he can help you."

Kili nodded and followed Erestor as he turned around and walked away from the garden and into the main complex of Rivendell. To Kili it all seemed the same, with occasional corridors leading off, some twisting and some straight, but all of them intricately carved in stone. He had seen major craftsmen work during his forty-five years of live and create some truly amazing things but these halls, they were something else entirely and Kili was so awestruck by them that he didn't realise when Erestor stopped walking and bumped into him.

"Ah, sorry." He muttered.

Erestor turned to him and gestured to the door they were standing in front of.

"This is Lord Elrond's study and he is usually inside." He explained.

Kili nodded and thanked him rather awkwardly, he was unsure if he liked the way Erestor was looking at him. It was not in a sexual way that he had seen in the eyes of the men that he had bartered with late at night before leaving Ered Luin, but there was a mix of emotions there, and Kili could not read them all. Turning his attention to the door Kili knocked and entered, leaving Erestor to sweep off to tidy the library.

Elrond was indeed inside the study, seated at a large oak desk, but he was not alone. A tall elf with long blonde hair was stood inside with him, arms folded and speaking quickly and quietly in elvish. Kili's breath caught in his throat as he recalled how his uncle had described the Elvenking Thranduil who had abandoned the dwarves and Erebor to Smaug. Could it be that this was the same elf? Kili stumbled forward and it was then that the blonde elf noticed him and set his eyes upon him, eyes that sparkled with warmth. He smiled.

"So this is the dwarf?" He asked, the first elf besides Lord Elrond to use the common tongue straight away for Kili's sake so far.

"Yes, Kili is his name." Elrond replied, "He has travelled from Ered Luin to search for a cure for his brother."

"At your service," Kili said, bowing to the blonde elf.

"Glorfindel, at yours." The blonde elf replied with a flourishing bow in response to Kili's. Rather taken aback Kili was unsure what to say.
"You bear an uncanny resemblance to Thorin Oakenshield." Glorfindel remarked after a moment of what seemed to be an uncomfortable silence to Kili, though if the elves felt it they did not show it.

Kili gulped. He did not want them to know but he could not just come out and deny his heritage, it was wrong.

"That is because Kili is his nephew Glorfindel." Elrond replied before Kili could say anything. "Quite a ruckus has been caused in Ered Luin because of the disappearance of Thorin Oakenshield's youngest nephew and the Dúnedain that were up there trading at the time brought the news back to Rivendell, in case we spotted him when we were hunting orcs. Glorfindel here is an elven Lord, quite a powerful and well renowned one, none primarily for slaying a Balrog." Elrond explained further why he knew Kili's connection to Thorin when the dwarf sent him a questioning look. The small extra of information on Glorfindel made Kili's eyes widen even more as he heard that this elf had slain Durin's Bane.

"Ah the lad is not wearing any shoes," Glorfindel exclaimed, "Come, sit down and we shall discuss what we can do for your brother."

Kili moved forward slowly and climbed into the offered seat. Glorfindel sank gracefully into another from where he had been standing. Elrond merely shifted his position slightly so he could keep both of them in his vision, elbows resting on his desk, long fingers laced together in front of him. There was silence for a moment before Kili laid the book he had brought on the table in front of them all.

"What is this?" Glorfindel asked. He seemed light and cheery and asked quite a lot of questions, though Kili could see that there were many centuries of wisdom in his eyes and he was obviously quite an old, and powerful, elf. Kili had not assumed that elves that were centuries and centuries old would be curious about anything, but he answered nonetheless.

"It's a book on herbs and medicinal plants that I brought from Ered Luin," he said, "I thought I could search for some of them on the way and perhaps they could help Fili, my brother. I also wrote down his symptoms in the back."

Elrond reached for the book. "May I?" He inquired before touching it.

Kili nodded.

The elven Lord took up the book and flicked through it to the back page where Kili's scribbles were. The dwarf worried that the elf would not be able to read his writing but Elrond seemed to have no problems with it.

"Shallow breathing, unconscious most of the time, sweating and fevers, nightmares, disorientation…this is quite a list of symptoms but these are the ones that worry me the most. I have never seen them all appear at once before." Elrond murmured as he read. Kili made to open his mouth and ask if that meant he couldn't heal Fili but Glorfindel smiled at the dwarf and waved his hand in a gesture to keep him silent.

"When Lord Elrond here talks aloud it means he is thinking deeply," The blonde elf whispered, "He is thinking of the best cure for your brother you can be assured of that."

Kili nodded and fell silent, watching as Elrond leafed through the book, smiling every so often at the illustrations and descriptions that had been done throughout. He knew he should be patient, that Elrond would need some time to figure out what to do and to teach Kili himself what to do but part of him felt that he did not have much time to spare.

"Glorfindel," Elrond murmured absently.

"Yes?"

"Take Kili on a tour of Rivendell. I must consult some of my own books to see if the idea I have is the right one. Take him back to his chamber so that he can fetch his shoes first though." Elrond ordered.

Glorfindel stood and nodded. "Come on young Kili."

Kili stood too, with some difficulty since the chair was built for someone as tall as an elf. "Does this mean you have an idea? That Fili could be saved?"

Elrond looked up at Kili and the young dwarf saw many emotions in his eyes, pity, warmth, even something that Kili could only describe as fatherly protection, just like he had with Erestor. Elves may wear masks of stone but their eyes seem like a gateway to their soul, Kili found himself thinking.

"I may have an idea Kili but I will need some time. Please be patient." The raven haired elf finally replied.

"Yes my Lord," Kili murmured. Glorfindel made his way to the door and held it open for Kili. As he was about to leave he remembered that he wanted to thank Elrond for the clothes.

"Thank you for finding me such excellent clothes."

Elrond laughed and shook his head. "You are my guest Kili; I will treat you with the honour and respect all my guests receive, prince or no."

Kili blushed as he left the room, Glorfindel chuckling as he followed suit.

"To your quarters then Kili," The older elf stated, "To get your shoes."

"I'm okay walking around barefoot; it's actually nice because I was beginning to get blisters from running all the time." Kili replied without thinking. Glorfindel looked at him oddly for a minute before laughing and bending down. It took Kili a moment to realise that this elven Lord was removing his own shoes and he watched in shock as the elf neatly left them out of the way of the corridor, hidden in a small nook in the wall.

"You are right. It is a nice day and a stroll in the garden with bare feet would be joyous." Glorfindel said softly and gestured for Kili to follow him.

"I…I never thought that elves would be so nice and accepting," He spoke his thoughts out loud and then took a breath, worried to see how Glorfindel would respond.

To his surprise this elicited another laugh from the golden haired elf.

"Your uncle has been filling your heads with stories about how elves are monstrous creatures that are not to be trusted, liked or even given the time of day I assume?" He inquired.

Kili nodded. "I always believed him because I had never met an elf before," He mused, "But there does not seem to be anything wrong with the elves I have met so far. Except perhaps one named Erestor, he seemed worried that I had taken my book from the library and he did not seem happy about my presence."

Glorfindel smirked. "Erestor is extremely proud of his library, it is an immense collection of books, some quite rare and compiled from papers written in the First Age of this world, when elves were the primary people of this world." He explained, "The thought of someone stealing from his library, or messing it up, is one that would make him rather sharp-tongued, though he is not an elf easily moved to violence."

"Okay. My uncle Thorin is like that with some things too, though he is easily moved to anger and sort of easily moved to violence." Kili admitted almost without thinking then blinked in surprise when he realised what he had said. There was something about Glorfindel that made it easy to talk to him, Kili felt like he could trust him despite all the things he had been told about elves by his uncle.

"I can imagine he has some priceless treasures from Erebor that they managed to save?" Glorfindel inquired.

"I guess so but if he does I have never seen them," Kili replied as they entered the garden. The grass did indeed feel good against his bare feet and Glorfindel smiled wistfully as a light breeze sprung up around them, casting both their hair into the air around them. Kili closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of the cooling wind on his face. "He prizes a few small things, things that belonged to his father, or grandfather, and his brother as well."

"Did you model your relationship with your own brother after the relationship your uncle had with his brother?" Glorfindel asked.

Kili shook his head. He knew he should have felt uncomfortable with an elf asking him so many personal questions but he didn't. Perhaps if it had been any other elf except for Glorfindel he might have done, but with the blonde elf Kili felt like he could trust Glorfindel with the answers.

"I never knew my other uncle; he died in the battle of Azanulbizar. Me and Fili just grew close, because my mum said it was sort of rare for two dwarves to be born so close together." Kili explained.

Glorfindel nodded and stopped walking.

"Would you like to sit here for a bit? Or there are archery fields a little that way," He said, gesturing with his hand beyond the trees flourishing in front of them.

"I am rather good at archery," Kili admitted with a hint of pride in his voice.

Glorfindel raised an eyebrow. "You are? Well, I never knew that dwarves partook in the art of archery, especially a nephew of Thorin Oakenshield. Surely he would think that archery is something used primarily by the elves and would not want his nephew learning it?"

"He did, at first. But then Fili got sick and he was preoccupied by other things as well and he knew that I was upset by Fili being so sick that he had me trained to be a competent archer, because it was something I enjoyed and I could forget for a moment that my older brother was sick." Kili answered truthfully, disregarding what Thorin would think if he knew that his youngest nephew was discussing his softer side with the race that he despised.

"Well then, let's go back to your room and we'll get your archery set and we'll do some practise shall we?" The elf in question suggested and Kili nodded.

As they walked in silence Kili realised that he had not been thinking about Fili, or finding his cure, while he had been talking to Glorfindel and a small amount of guilt washed over him. Thinking about it for a moment Kili thought perhaps that had been Glorfindel's plan all along, to distract him from worrying about his brother while Elrond thought of a solution to the problem.

"How old is your brother Kili?" Glorfindel asked after they had arrived at Kili's quarters, travelling the distance in silence.

"He's fifty." Kili replied shortly, gathering his bow and quiver of arrows and eying his shoes, wondering if he should slip them on or not. Deciding against it Kili straightened up and turned to Glorfindel, nodding that he was ready.

"So you are forty-five then?"

"Yes."

Glorfindel whistled as they retraced their steps to the garden and he led on to the archery practise fields. "It is impressive that you managed to make it to Rivendell at such a young age. I assume you have never left Ered Luin before?"

"No but I stole a map from my uncle." Kili said.

Glorfindel laughed, "I bet he isn't happy about that."

"There are other things that he will be mad about as well," Kili murmured, wondering if his mother had discovered that the statue from Erebor had gone missing.

The two of them lapsed into silence again as they reached the fields. Two dark haired elves were already there, shooting with speed and precision that could only come from elves. Kili recognised them as the twins, Elladan and Elrohir if he remembered correctly from when he had arrived at Rivendell.

"Hello you two!" Glorfindel called as he approached. The twins turned to the elven Lord and smiled, raising their hands in greeting.
"Did you dispatch with all the orcs on the borders?"

"There was no need," One of the twins replied, Kili could not tell them apart, "When we ventured over the plains we found twenty-five orcs dead from arrow wounds and the others were nowhere to be found, they had evidently run off."

"Twenty-five dead from arrow wounds?" Glorfindel inquired, "I wonder who killed them."

For the moment it seemed the golden haired elf had forgotten that Kili was an archer, but then Kili had not told Glorfindel that he had battled orcs before arriving in Rivendell.

"We wondered as well," The other twin said, shooting an arrow dead centre without looking properly. "So we brought one of the arrows back for examination so we could determine."

Glorfindel took the arrow from the twins and examined it. Kili decided it was time he told them.

"I did it." He said quietly. They did not seem to hear him at first. "I killed them!" He said louder.

"You did-?" One of the twins asked, then did a double take when he took in the sight of Kili before him, evidently remembering him. "Hey 'Ro, isn't that the dwarf we met yesterday?"

"Yeah Elladan," Elrohir answered, now that they had cleared up the confusion of which was which. "You are a talented archer to have been able to avoid getting seriously hurt and kill that many orcs, especially since you're a young dwarf."

Kili decided he was annoyed that all the elves seem to know he was a young dwarf, but he blamed it on the fact that he did not have a beard, which was a sign of full growth in dwarves. It wasn't his fault it hadn't started growing properly yet and to Kili it was a source of embarrassment.

"Hmm, that really is impressive Kili," Glorfindel said happily, patting Kili's shoulder in what the dwarf assumed was a praising way. "Why don't you show off your skills to us now you aren't under fear of death?"

"Okay."

"Before he does." The twins said together, "Let us introduce ourselves properly."

Kili nodded and waited as the twins put down their bows and came to stand in front of him.

"Elladan, son of Elrond, at your service," One twin said, bowing to Kili, using the dwarf fashion of introductions as if that might make Kili more comfortable. To his surprise it did, not that he had been extremely uncomfortable beforehand.

"Elrohir, son of Elrond, at your service," The other twin repeated with the same bow.

"Kili, son of Dis, nephew of Thorin Oakenshield at yours," Kili replied, giving them the same bow. There was no use hiding it now, Elrond knew of his heritage, as did Glorfindel, so Kili assumed that Elrond would tell his sons eventually who Kili was. Their widening eyes signalled to him that they hadn't know previous to this.

"Why are you not wearing shoes?" Elrohir asked rather randomly as Elladan opened his mouth to ask a question as well.

"I…I rushed out of my room this morning to find Lord Elrond and ask him about a cure for my brother, I didn't even think of shoes." Kili answered earnestly.

"And I merely followed suit when Kili decided that going without shoes was more comfortable after days of travelling," Glorfindel said breezily, grinning and stretching. "Come, let's get practising."

"You don't need to practice Glorfindel; you've had two Ages to get good at it." Elladan moaned with a short laugh.

"We will defeat you though. And Legolas would definitely be able to give you a run for your money; I have never seen such a good shooter before." Elrohir added.

Kili left the elves to their discussions and headed for the line drawn in the dirt, signalling the line that was to be shot from. The line was a little closer in Ered Luin to take into account that the arms of a dwarf were shorter than that of a man or an elf, but Kili was fine to try it from a shorter distance, with a taller target. None of the three elves noticed him lining up and drawing an arrow from his quiver, they were still discussing 'Legolas' and his abilities at shooting.

"Lord Thranduil told me about his son's skills," Glorfindel said after a moment Kili froze. Thranduil? The Elvenking? Why it surprised him that someone who had been named a great elven Lord like Glorfindel knew other elven Lords Kili was unsure, but Thranduil and the elves had been the subject of many rants from Thorin that hearing the name said in such a friendly way was strange for Kili.
"He claims that they will one day rival Beleg's though this cannot be tested." Glorfindel continued.

Kili shut their conversation out and focussed on the targets in front of him. Knocking an arrow Kili drew it back to his chin. When he was firing arrows it was the only time the dwarf was glad he did not have a beard, for he 'kissed the arrow' and if the shaft was caught in his beard before he fired it would be painful. Closing his eyes Kili drew a breath and pictured Fili's face. It was something he always did when he was practising archery, especially after Fili had gotten ill; it helped him to focus because he wanted to get good at archery for Fili. Releasing the string without opening his eyes Kili waited until he heard the thud of the arrow in the target before opening his eyes slowly. He found Elladan, Elrohir and Glorfindel looking at him in awe. Turning his attention to the targets Kili saw he had hit near enough dead centre and had dislodged the arrows Elladan and Elrohir had fired there before with the force of his hit.

"That was…amazing," Glorfindel said after a moment, "Truly amazing."

"I can't believe he did that with his eyes closed," Elladan exclaimed, "I was going to suggest that we made a line closer to the targets for him to take into account the length of his arm but apparently we don't need to."

Kili felt his heart swell with the praise and smiled softly.

"No wonder so many orcs fell to him," Elrohir added with a laugh.

The twins came over and joined Kili and they decided to direct him in the ways that an elf would hold and shoot his bow. Kili knew he would probably not use the elvish technique but he found that it was fun to use. Glorfindel watched on from the side, a faint smile on his lips as he watched the three interact easily with each other. Looking at this scene, he thought, you would never guess that was animosity between dwarves and elves.

Hours went by as Kili, Elladan and Elrohir practised. Out of the corner of his eye Glorfindel saw Elrond walking towards them and headed over to the elven Lord before he reached his sons and Kili practising somewhat happily.

"Please tell me it is good news," He requested in elvish.

Elrond smiled sadly, "Have you developed a soft spot for Thorin Oakenshield's nephew Glorfindel?"

"He is so dedicated to his family but he is also willing to learn from a race I am sure he was been taught to hate from birth." Glorfindel said, almost defensively. "I would not want to tell anyone that they could not save their brother either." The elven Lord added as an afterthought.

"It is a good thing we do not have to then," Elrond told him, still wearing a sad smile.

"This is joyous news, why is it you look so upset?" Glorfindel asked, unsure if he should break out into a smile or not.

"I do not know if the cure I have found will work so long after the illness has set in. Kili scribbled down the number twenty after the symptoms and I assume this means that Fili had been sick for twenty years at least. To be sick for that long…it is amazing the boy is still alive. If it weren't for Kili he wouldn't be." Elrond explained.

Glorfindel looked at Kili, who had not noticed Elrond approach them. "Perhaps Fili is just as dedicated to his family as his brother is." He said, seemingly having missed what Elrond had said last.

"That is not the problem. I can easily teach Kili what to do, for the cure is actually not that complicated, but it is whether the boy will react to it, and if Kili can accept this or not." Elrond sighed softly.

"You can't save them all you know. It is the curse that Eru put into the song." Glorfindel said firmly, placing a hand on Elrond's shoulder.

"Yes I know but it would be nice not to have to tell someone like Kili, who is so dependent on his brother living, that there may be no way to save him." Elrond admitted.

Glorfindel cocked his head in confusion, "What do you mean? Kili seems fine, how is dependent on his brother?"

"They are soul mates in the purest form of the words." Elrond said. "There is no sexual element to it. Fili and Kili are like one soul separated into two bodies and they require each other to live. Fili has not died because Kili is still alive and he knows that Kili needs him. There is no way that Kili would survive where Fili to die and Fili can sense this, no matter how sick he gets and so he has fought with this illness for twenty years. Kili and Fili were born to be together forever, whether they get married to other people they will always have the strongest bond and no force on Arda could separate them." Elrond continued with sadness laced into his words.

"Wow," Glorfindel whispered, "It would be terrible if that ever happened to anyone. We must tell him you have found a cure Elrond, and mention in passing that it might take some time to work on Fili because has been so ill and there is a possibility that it might not work at all." He mused, "Kili will be so determined that it will work that even he does take heed of the words he will not believe them."

"I hope you are right." Elrond muttered.

At that moment Elladan noticed the two elves stood there and called out. "Ada you should see Kili's skills with a bow, I have never seen a dwarf so good."

"That's because you've never seen any other dwarves shoot." Elrohir laughed.

Kili had abandoned the targets, still clutching his bow and a single arrow dangling uselessly from his hand, eyes wide at the looks on the elves' faces.

"Lord Elrond, did you find a cure?" He asked so quickly that he stumbled over his words and Elrond had to ask him to repeat himself.

"I have found a cure Kili," He replied.

"Really? Can you teach me it? It is possible for me to learn? Please tell me it is." Kili cried.

Glorfindel had to hold back a smile at the enthusiasm on the young boy's face.

"I can teach you it Kili, but you have to listen to me for a moment," Elrond said firmly. Kili blinked. If there was a cure then he didn't have time to listen to any words except those that were teaching him the cure, but Elrond wore a serious expression so Kili said nothing and nodded. Elladan and Elrohir approached as Elrond began talking again.
"Your brother has been sick for twenty years correct?"

"Yes," Kili confirmed.

"It may be difficult, almost impossible, to be able to heal him because he has been ill for so long-."

"I don't believe that!" Kili cried. He didn't care if he had just rudely interrupted someone who had only ever been polite to him; there was no way he was going to allow thoughts like that to pervade his mind. If he thought negative thoughts about not being able to cure Fili then this whole journey was for naught. Elrond surely understood this?

Glorfindel saw the torment in Kili's eyes and decided to come to the rescue. "Listen Kili, Lord Elrond is not telling you this to make you depressed, he is merely trying to warn you. He knows that you are so confident that it will work that you will not heed his words, but please, just take this information in."

Kili blinked and shook his head. "I cannot. If I accept that there is a chance that I cannot cure Fili then I will have made this journey for no reason. I will have left my brother alone for no reason…and I cannot allow that."

Elrond smiled and placed a hand on Kili's shoulder. "Come with me then and I shall talk you through the cure and how to make it."

Kili nodded and followed Elrond with his head held high.

/

Dis held back a sigh as she watched over Fili. There was still no sign of a change in his demeanour and she was worried about whether it was a good sign or not. Thorin was in the kitchen of her house looking for some clean towels after filling a bowl with cold water.

"Dis!" Thorin's cry came down the hall and Dis stood, kissed Fili's forehead and then left to head to Thorin and answer his call. She found her brother stood beside the small table that had been placed in the kitchen to hold the statue from Erebor, the one that both of them prised. It was empty. Dis' breath caught in her throat. Where could it have gone? Could Kili have taken it? Why would he do that?

"Do you think that Kili-?" She asked quietly.

"I think he stole it and sold it," Thorin said somewhat harshly. He was angry at his nephew for taking something as precious as that, something that remained of Erebor here near to the sea, as far away east from Erebor as they could get without entering the realms below the White Mountains.

"Thorin I-." Dis began but Thorin held up a hand for her to stop talking. Dis could see him shaking.

"Did Kili not know the importance of that statue?" Thorin asked quietly. Dis was worried. Thorin's quiet anger was worse than when he was yelling and since Kili was not here for Thorin to take his anger out on him Dis was concerned about what her brother would do. It seemed however that Thorin was trying to reign in his anger due to Kili's absence.

"He does Thorin. He learnt it on the day when he brought it to you and asked you what it was." Dis soothed her brother carefully, eying the corridor that led to Fili's room. She had left the door open and did not want Fili to hear Thorin angry at his brother.
"It is clear why he did this Thorin."

"He did this because he cares more about the future of his brother than the past of his ancestors," Thorin stated simply. He did not sound angry; there was no emotion in his voice at all.

"Should it not be like that Thorin? Kili understands the importance of his lineage and the sacrifice that was made by countless dwarves fighting both Smaug and the orcs at Azanulbizar. But he will not put that before Fili's life." Dis defended Kili's decision even though she had loved that statue and understood what it meant to Thorin.

"I know. I would have given anything in the world to protect you, or Frerin." Thorin agreed. Dis opened her mouth to argue on Kili's behalf before she realised that Thorin had agreed with her.
"Kili is showing his intelligence and his ability to be able to think ahead and plan. It seems that when it comes to Fili he becomes an entirely different person." Thorin continued. "It will take a while to get over, that was a little piece of Erebor that we had saved, but I can forgive Kili for using it to save his brother. The punishment we deal out to him for running away can include a punishment for this."

Dis smirked. "No, I will decide his punishment, his is my son. I will take into account your words brother, but you will have no say in what happens to Kili. I know you will just be glad to have him home."

"Of course I will." Thorin snapped, then tiredly ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry."

Smiling sympathetically Dis hugged Thorin and kissed his cheek. "How about you go and sit with Fili and I will make us some food? We need to try and continue to live normally, for Fili and for Kili when he comes home." She suggested.

Thorin did not argue with her, merely nodding and giving her a tight hug. "He will return soon Dis, I know he will."

Dis did not speak. She pulled back from her brother and pushed him down the halls with a wan smile, turning to the kitchen herself and rooting for any food that she had to make them a small snack.